Nicci
DEVELOPMENTS IN IMMIGRATION POLICY THIS WEEK
Here, we summarize some of the most important recent developments in immigration policy on the federal, legal, state, and local levels.
Federal
Naturalization Ceremonies Halted for Nationals of Nineteen Countries
U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) has halted naturalization ceremonies for approved applicants from nineteen countries, leaving hundreds of individuals in limbo despite having completed all requirements for citizenship. The affected countries include Afghanistan, Somalia, and others from regions the administration has targeted for enhanced vetting. In Boston, multiple naturalization ceremonies scheduled at Faneuil Hall were disrupted, with some applicants reportedly "plucked out of line" after arriving for their oath ceremonies. Approved applicants from the designated countries have had their ceremonies indefinitely postponed without clear guidance on when they might proceed. The policy has drawn criticism from Rep. María Elvira Salazar (R-FL), who rebuked the administration for targeting Cuban, Haitian, and Venezuelan nationals.
The ceremony suspensions coincided with a series of speeches in which President Trump referred to immigrants from certain countries groups as "rapists," "animals," and "garbage." Historians have warned that the public degradation of immigrants represents a dangerous escalation that echoes nativist movements from the 1920s, drawing widespread criticism from immigrant advocacy organizations, religious leaders, and some Republican lawmakers. USCIS has not provided a timeline for when ceremonies might resume for affected nationals or clarified the legal basis for suspending oath ceremonies for individuals who have already been approved for naturalization.
Administration Expands Scrutiny of Social Media Data from Visitors and H-1B Applicants
On December 10, the State Department published a proposal requiring visitors from 42 visa waiver countries to submit five years of social media history before entering the United States, a significant expansion of data collection that would affect millions of tourists and business travelers annually. The proposal would apply to countries including the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Japan, and South Korea, whose citizens currently enter the U.S. without visas for stays up to 90 days. Separately, the administration has moved to increase vetting for H-1B visa applicants. The State Department announced on December 3 that it will
be expanding social media scrutiny to include temporary workers seeking employment in specialized occupations starting December 15.
Additionally, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) announced the establishment of a National Vetting Center that will centralize immigration screening operations and deploy artificial intelligence tools to analyze applicant data. The center will use AI to process social media information, analyze behavioral patterns, and flag potential security concerns, though the agency has not detailed what criteria or algorithms will guide these assessments. The restructuring is part of a broader remaking of USCIS to prioritize enforcement functions over processing, with resources being redirected from application processing to vetting and fraud detection operations. Privacy advocates and civil liberties organizations have raised concerns about the scope of data
collection, the lack of transparency around artificial intelligence decision-making, and the potential for discriminatory screening practices.
Gold Card Launches with $1 Million Fee for Expedited Green Cards
President Trump officially launched the "Gold Card" program on December 11, offering foreign nationals an expedited pathway to lawful permanent residence through a $15,000 DHS processing fee and a $1 million "contribution" to the Department of Commerce. The program, established through a September 19 executive order, allows individuals to apply for EB-1 or EB-2 green cards in "record time," with the application process taking weeks rather than the months or years typical of traditional employment-based visa categories. Corporations can sponsor foreign workers through a "Trump Corporate Gold Card" by providing a $2 million contribution and the same $15,000 processing fee. The program website also
previews a forthcoming "Trump Platinum Card" requiring a $5 million contribution, which would allow holders to spend up to 270 days in the United States without being subject to U.S. taxes on non-U.S. income, though implementation details remain unclear.
The Gold Card has drawn immediate criticism from immigration scholars and legal experts who question whether the executive branch has authority to bypass Congress in creating a pathway to residency. The program may also undercut the existing EB-5 Immigrant Investor Program, which requires investments that create U.S. jobs rather than unrestricted gifts to the federal government, potentially redirecting capital away from economic development projects. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick defended the initiative as ensuring "the best people coming in" who are "economically capable of driving our economy," and suggested the program could raise substantial revenue, though legal challenges to the executive order's statutory basis appear likely.
Secretary Noem Faces Calls to Resign at Contentious Congressional Hearing
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem faced a difficult congressional hearing on December 12, with Democratic lawmakers demanding her resignation and accusing her of lying under oath and violating federal court orders in connection with the Trump administration's mass deportation operations. Democrats pressed Noem to explain why scores of U.S. citizens have been detained during immigration raids and highlighted cases of longtime residents and military veterans being deported, including the case of an Irish immigrant married to a Navy combat veteran who has been held in detention for four months over decade-old bad check charges totaling $80. The hearing came amid reports that Trump is considering replacing Noem due to dissatisfaction over the pace of detention
center construction, though the president publicly praised her this week and called her "fantastic."
Legal
Supreme Court Agrees to Hear Birthright Citizenship Challenge
On December 5, the Supreme Court agreed to hear a constitutional challenge to President Trump’s effort to end birthright citizenship. The case centers on a Trump administration policy that seeks to deny U.S. citizenship to children born in the United States to certain noncitizen parents, directly targeting long-standing interpretations that have treated nearly all U.S.-born children as citizens at birth. The Court is expected to consider whether the executive branch can unilaterally narrow birthright citizenship without an act of Congress and how to interpret the phrase "subject to the jurisdiction thereof" in the Fourteenth Amendment, an issue that legal scholars note has been guided for more than a century by precedent recognizing birthright
citizenship.
The case arrives amid broad public support for existing birthright citizenship rules and significant criticism of the administration’s plan from constitutional experts, faith leaders, and civil rights groups. Recent polling indicates that a majority of Americans favor maintaining birthright citizenship and oppose proposals to end it through executive action. Advocacy organizations have highlighted that any rollback would disproportionately affect U.S.-born children in mixed-status and immigrant families, deepening fears of statelessness and family separation.
Federal Judge Halts Trump’s National Guard Deployment in Los Angeles
A federal judge in California temporarily blocked President Trump's deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles on December 10, finding that the administration likely exceeded its authority and failed to justify the use of military forces in the city. In a sharply worded ruling, the judge questioned the administration's reliance on vague public safety rationales and noted that state and local officials had not requested the deployment, undercutting the legal basis the White House claimed under federal statutes governing domestic use of the Guard. The order, which takes effect December 15, halts further National Guard operations tied to the directive in Los Angeles and returns control of approximately 300 remaining troops to California Governor Gavin Newsom while the underlying lawsuit, brought by state officials, proceeds.
The administration quickly criticized the decision and signaled it will seek an emergency appeal. Advocates and state leaders welcomed the ruling as an important check on federal overreach, warning that using National Guard troops in immigration-adjacent and public order contexts risks escalating tensions and blurring the line between civilian law enforcement and military power. The outcome of the larger suit could shape future efforts to deploy military resources in or around immigrant communities, including in support of federal immigration enforcement operations, without clear state consent.
State and Local
Illinois Enacts New Immigrant Protections Amid Federal Crackdown
Illinois has enacted new statewide protections limiting how and where federal immigration enforcement can operate in direct response to the Trump administration’s immigration crackdown. Governor J.B. Pritzker signed a package of bills on December 9 that further restricts when state and local agencies may assist in federal civil immigration enforcement, building on Illinois’ existing "Welcoming State" framework. Among other provisions, the new laws limit information-sharing and the use of state resources to support federal operations targeting immigrant communities, signaling the state’s intent to distance local law enforcement from federal immigration raids and arrests.
One of the most significant measures bars civil immigration arrests in or near sensitive locations such as courthouses, hospitals, schools, and college campuses, absent a judicial warrant or an identified public safety emergency. Supporters say these protections are intended to ensure immigrants can seek medical care, attend school, and appear in court without fear that these spaces will become de facto enforcement zones, which advocates warn can chill access to essential services and undermine the justice system. Critics argue the laws could complicate federal authorities’ ability to carry out immigration enforcement in Illinois, setting up potential legal and political clashes between the state and the federal government as national crackdowns continue.
BILLS INTRODUCED AND CONSIDERED
Reuniting Families Act of 2025
The bill would double the number of available family preference visas; raise existing per-country yearly visa limits; and set an absolute time limit on visa processing, so no applicant has to wait more than 10 years for a visa if they have an approved application. This is a companion bill of H.R. 6565 introduced by Rep. Judy Chu (D-California)
Sponsored by Senator Mazie Hirono (D-Hawaii) (1 cosponsor — 0 Republicans, 1 Democrat)
12/10/2025 Introduced in the Senate by Senator Mazie Hirono
12/10/2025 Referred to the Senate Committee on the Judiciary
H.R. 6443
To terminate the Afghan Special Immigrant Visa program, cancel pending applications, mandate security reassessment of current beneficiaries
Sponsored by Representative Wesley Hunt (R-Texas) (0 cosponsors)
12/04/2025 Introduced in the House by Representative Wesley Hunt
12/04/2025 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary
H.R. 6493
National Oversight and Enforcement of Misconduct Act (NOEM) Act
The bill would allow victims of constitutional violations to sue federal immigration enforcement officers in federal court.
Sponsored by Representative Seth Moulton (D-Massachusetts) (0 cosponsors)
12/05/2025 Introduced in the House by Representative Seth Moulton
12/05/2025 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary
H.R. 6521
Immigration Court Due Process Protection Act
The bill would prohibit DHS officers or agents from arresting or detaining an individual that is physically present at an Executive Office for Immigration Review (EOIR) immigration court facility for the purpose of attending or participating in a hearing, except pursuant to a judicial warrant.
Sponsored by Representative Daniel Goldman (D-New York) (19 cosponsors — 0 Republicans, 19 Democrats)
12/09/2025 Introduced in the House by Representative Daniel Goldman
12/09/2025 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary
H.R. 6548
DHS Suicide Prevention and Resiliency for Law Enforcement Act
The bill would establish the Law Enforcement Mental Health and Wellness Program.
Sponsored by Representative Bennie Thompson (D-Mississippi) (1 cosponsor — 1 Republican, 0 Democrats)
12/10/2025 Introduced in the House by Representative Bennie Thompson
12/10/2025 Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary
LEGISLATIVE FLOOR CALENDAR
The U.S. Senate and House of Representatives are scheduled to be in session Monday, December 15, through Friday, December 19.
UPCOMING HEARINGS AND MARKUPS
Biden’s Afghan Parolee Program – A Trojan Horse with Flawed Vetting and Deadly Consequences
Date: Tuesday, December 16, 2025 at 9:30 AM ET (Senate Judiciary Subcommittees on Immigration, Citizenship, and Border Safety and on Crime and Counterterrorism)
Location: 106 Dirksen Senate Office Building, Washington, D.C.
Witnesses: To be announced
The Impacts of Temporary Protected Status
Date: Wednesday, December 17, 2025 at 2:00 PM ET (House Judiciary Subcommittee on Immigration Integrity, Security, and Enforcement)
Location: 2141 Rayburn House Office Building, Washington, D.C.
Witnesses: To be announced
SPOTLIGHT ON FORUM RESOURCES
The Forum is constantly publishing new policy-focused resources that engage with some of the most topical issues around immigration today. Here are a few that are particularly relevant this week:
Our explainer explores the new Gold Card program, which the Trump administration has promoted as a way to attract investment and strengthen the economy. We also explain how it raises fundamental questions about fairness and legality.
Our explainer details a new DHS proposal that would revoke the 2022 public-charge rule and its long-standing definitions, giving immigration officers much broader discretion to decide who is likely to become a public charge. It also explains how this shift could expand the types of benefits and personal factors weighed in admissibility decisions, increase uncertainty and inconsistency in case outcomes, and intensify chilling effects on immigrant families’ use of essential public programs.
Our bill summary breaks down the bipartisan Dream Act of 2025, which would create an eight-year conditional permanent resident status for eligible Dreamers and Documented Dreamers, protecting them from deportation and allowing them to live and work lawfully in the U.S. It also explains how the bill could ultimately provide permanent status to millions of young immigrants, including DACA recipients, TPS holders, and aging-out children of long-term visa holders.
*As of publication (12/12/25 at 11:00AM EST)
This Bulletin is not intended to be comprehensive. Please contact Nicci Mattey, Senior Policy & Advocacy Associate at the Forum, with questions, comments, and suggestions for additional items to be included. Nicci can be reached at [email protected]. Thank you.
